Dear Ms. Pallor,

I trust that the crotch that Mr. Delight was referring to wasn't the bear "with whom he locked eyes".

Thank God you were in that flimsy nylon tent - that'll keep 'em out...

Love and hugs,

The Stoat XXX.

Awww! *smooch back*

And just for you... an early pic before I finish my upload

Okay, as of 2:04am, my album is a work in progress, but to view whatever I've gotten uploaded (photobucket's bulk uploader keeps crashing):
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...0Camp%20Swank/

Hey, you guys.... what's with all the pictures of trees and stuff ?? Where's the Bacon? Where's the girthy weiners ?? Where's Bob Eubanks ??

I'm going to have to sort through pics before posting. Should give me something to do at work today.

Goonie, great pics so far.

Boy, ain't nature in all it's magnificent splendor grand?

I guess I had better start accumulating some camping gear now, to prepare for Camp Swank 2009 and 2010 when the Lashes show up.

I left the memory card at home - oops :rolleyes:

Here's what I got -

All the pics are making me jealous.....2010 just might be in the plans!

Fab pics Katie!

Okay, I am really, really jealous.

Must-get-in better-shape-for-Swank-Camp-2009.

Hahaha, Morrigoon must have gotten to Grant's Grove on the way out just a little before I did.


Ok, so the Grove of Sequioas is its own tiny, magical ecosystem. The entire forest, not just the giant trees, looks, smells and especially sounds different from the immediately surrounding woods. The bird song in the area is splendiforous and, with one Amazonian birdcall in particular, rather strange seeming for California.

Grant Grove is somewhere in between Muir Grove and Giant Forest on the natural-setting scale. It's not in its pure and natural state like the former, but not nearly as tacky touristy as the latter. But there are split-rail fences along paved paths, and some signage. The trees are named for the States of the Union and Civil War Era Persons. So I'm wandering in to the grove, thinking of the era when the trees were discovered by Westerners and first named ... when who should come around the corner but a group of a dozen or so Amish Folk ... all dressed in period garb, the ladies in full Little House on the Praire dresses and bonnets, and all of them speaking together in their Germanic/English mixed tongue.

OMG, I was instantly and magically transported to the Pioneer Days of Sequioia Discovery!! It was fantastic!



I'm so glad Morri encountered them also!